Advanced Placement Courses

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Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college-level courses offered by high schools. The courses, curriculum, and optional tests are provided by CollegeBoard, and must meet CollegeBoard guidelines and procedures.

Information for Schools

AP® courses are a good way for high school students to access challenging coursework and have the option to gain early credits for college.

During the 2005-06 school year, 195 of Iowa’s 365 districts offered at least one AP course. About 15,000 students were enrolled in at least one course, and 6,607 of them took at least one of the optional final exams, a 9.3 percent increase over 6,047 test-takers last year.

AP courses are college-level studies available to high school students, most often in their junior or senior years. Students choose among 37 classes in 22 subject areas, with an optional final exam at the completion of the course.

Iowa students took a total of 9,833 final exams, compared to 8,986 the prior year, and 69.8 percent of them scored 3 or higher; 5 is the highest possible score. Nationally, 59.6 percent of students scored 3 or higher. Many colleges grant credit or advanced placement to students with high AP exam scores.

Participation Form

If you are considering joining the AP Program this year or are expanding your present AP offerings and would like information on obtaining the AP Order Form, please call AP Services toll free at 877-274-6474 or at 609-771-7300 outside the U.S. and Canada, or write to:

Advanced Placement Program
P.O Box 6671
Princeton, NJ 08541-6671

Courses Available Online

Schools that are not able to offer AP classes on-site can still offer them through the Iowa Online AP Academy. The Iowa Online Advanced Placement Academy (IOAPA) has been established to deliver Advanced Placement (AP) courses to high school students across the State of Iowa using Apex Learning online technology and the Iowa Communications Network (ICN). AP gives students an opportunity to take college-level courses and exams while still in high school. The focus of IOAPA is on accredited rural and small schools in Iowa.

Information for Students and Parents

AP® courses are college-level studies available to high school students, most often in their junior or senior years. Students choose among 37 classes in 22 subject areas, with an optional final exam at the completion of the course. AP courses are a good way for high school students to access challenging coursework and have the option to gain early credits for college.

During the 2005-06 school year, 195 of Iowa’s 365 districts offered at least one AP course. About 15,000 students were enrolled in at least one course, and 6,607 of them took at least one of the optional final exams.

Iowa students took a total of 9,833 final exams, and 69.8 percent of them scored 3 or higher; 5 is the highest possible score. Nationally, 59.6 percent of students scored 3 or higher. Many colleges grant credit or advanced placement to students with high AP exam scores.

To find out if your high school offers AP courses, contact your high school principal or district curriculum director.

Schools that are not able to offer AP classes on-site can still offer them through the Iowa Online AP Academy. The Iowa Online Advanced Placement Academy (IOAPA) has been established to deliver Advanced Placement (AP) courses to high school students across the State of Iowa using Apex Learning online technology and the Iowa Communications Network (ICN). AP gives students an opportunity to take college-level courses and exams while still in high school. The focus of IOAPA is on accredited rural and small schools in Iowa.

AP Honor Roll Districts in Iowa- Six Iowa districts or school systems are included on the 2012 AP Honor Roll for simultaneously increasing access to Advanced Placement course work while maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earing scores of 3 or higher on AP Exams.

Iowa AP Index - Each year since 2005, the Belin-Blank Center has released the Iowa AP Index to recognize the Top 50 Iowa accredited public and nonpublic high schools for providing Advanced Placement opportunities to Iowa’s high school students. The 2015 Iowa AP Index is based on May 2014 AP exams and May/June 2014 graduation data.